It is desirable to protect a horse from different types of irritation, for example, insects and the sun. More particularly, without the use of chemicals or some type of mask, horses are constantly bothered by flies around the face, eyes, and muzzle. In addition to being an irritation, flies carry disease, such that eye infections in horses are quite common. Also, several types of horses, for example, light-skinned horses or horses with bald faces or a white-haired stripe, also referred to as a blaze, are prone to sunburn. The damage from sunburn may be sufficiently great to cause the horse's skin to blister, peel, and crack to the point of bleeding. Although various medicinal treatments and masks have been developed to alleviate these problems, it is believed that it is possible to develop an improved protective mask. The present invention fulfills this need, and provides further related advantages.